Conference programme

This panel will consider the elements and dynamics essential to ensuring lasting peace in the immediate aftermath of devastating conflicts. 

With vibrant audience participation, our panel of distinguished global experts shall embark on a comprehensive appraisal of microaggressions (commonplace indirect, subtle discriminatory practices) against marginalised minorities, in various spheres, universally.

A discussion with pioneers in the field of third party funding as to what the needs and prospects may be for mediation going forward.

This panel will explore the benefits and limitations of the varied family governance and succession vehicles used in jurisdictions around the world. Experts from the most prominent tax and planning jurisdictions will discuss how such structures are used to accomplish governance and succession goals in light of the ever evolving tax, disclosure and compliance rules.

An open committee business meeting where all members and Officers of both Committees are invited to learn more about the current and upcoming activities and developments between the two Committees.

Join us at the awards breakfast where the IBA Award for Outstanding Contribution by a Legal Practitioner to Human Rights, the IBA Outstanding Young Lawyer Award, and the IBA Pro Bono Award will be presented.

An open meeting of the Pro Bono Committee where committee members and those interested in joining the committee, are invited to learn more about the extensive activities of the committee, provide feedback and collaborate about new ideas and initiatives. 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming markets, and regulators are trying to address potential market consolidation and harm before it happens. In this dynamic environment, businesses from all sides of the AI universe – AI model owners, AI app developers, AI business users, data owners, cloud infrastructure owners –  need to understand the heightened scrutiny over investments in this sector and act in compliance with increasingly intrusive regulation and antitrust law. 

This panel will discuss the issues that arise in AI creation and business use and regulators’ responses to AI including in the context of the new ex ante regimes in the European Union and United Kingdom, the approach of the United States and other jurisdictions around the world and discuss how divergences between jurisdictions might affect cross-border businesses.

In this session we will tackle the issue of toxic behaviour in the workplace, and how this can be addressed in law firms.

As regulatory requirements and ethical expectations continue to rise, the discussion will focus on how far companies should go to ensure compliance and best practice, including corruption, anti-money laundering (AML), labour, environmental, and human rights standards. We will discuss best practices in balancing cost-efficiency and regulatory obligations while maintaining responsible and sustainable supply chains in an increasingly regulated world.

This panel will explore the growing relevance of Creditor Cooperation Agreements (CCAs) as a tool to manage inter-creditor dynamics and prevent disruptive holdout or priming strategies in liability management transactions (LMTs).

Panelists will examine recent case studies and legal innovations where CCAs have been used to align creditor interests and reduce the risk of creditor-on-creditor violence in both consensual and coercive deal structures. The discussion will also address practical drafting considerations, enforceability challenges, and the evolving role of CCAs in enhancing predictability and fairness in distressed debt scenarios.

Political uncertainty in many parts of the world makes distressed M&A a key topic.

This panel will consider the various distressed asset markets and discuss how M&A players are navigating the current challenges and opportunities. It will focus on relevant M&A strategies, due diligence process, valuation topics, preservation of asset value and mitigation of liability risks. A must-attend session for any practitioner involved in distressed M&A.

An exploration of energy policies and environmental protection interests, including approaches to renewable energy, across Canada, the United States, and Mexico.

This panel will explore the rapidly evolving field of greenwashing litigation, focusing on the legal strategies used to combat deceptive environmental claims and the regulatory landscape shaping these efforts. With an emphasis on cross-border challenges, we will examine jurisdictional conflicts, varying legal standards, and enforcement mechanisms that complicate international greenwashing cases. Through case studies and expert insights, the panel will provide a comprehensive understanding of how legal professionals can navigate these complexities to ensure corporate transparency and accountability on a global scale.

In this session we will review issues that are hot within the industry at the time.

As efforts to combat climate change intensify, businesses across the globe are increasingly under pressure to demonstrate their commitment to sustainable practices. International agreements and regulatory frameworks mandating or encouraging carbon reduction strategies present challenges for clients and significant opportunities for law firms ready to guide companies through the complex web of rules and regulations. What is the potential for law firms to expand their environmental law practice through advising and facilitating transactions in the carbon credits market? How should multidisciplinary advisory teams (biodiversity, fintech and others) be deployed? What is the future for carbon credit exchanges? This panel will address these and many other topical issues arising from a challenging environmental issue facing the legal practice. 

This session will examine the role that male champions of gender equity can play as catalysts for change in our profession. The entire legal community must work together to achieve parity. Women lawyers are acutely aware of the challenges they face and what needs to be done to level the playing field. However, this is not just a women’s issue. Law firm leaders globally (including managing partners, executive committee members, shareholders/equity partners, etc.) are primarily male and can serve as accelerators in providing opportunities for women.

This panel will discuss the characterisation of fee payments: royalties, services fees, access fees or other? We will also explore source issues and implications from a transfer pricing, withholding tax and treaty interpretation perspective.

The session will discuss the most recent virtual asset regulations, what they cover and don’t cover, and the challenges faced by enforcement authorities on categorising and regulating emerging financial products.